VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) is purchasing diesel in retail as the bulk price is more than the retail price. “We are minimising losses by purchasing fuel for buses in retail. Retail rate is Rs 5.86 less than the bulk rate of diesel per litre,” Minister for Transport Pinipe Viswarup said.
The Minister conducted his maiden visit to the RTC House here on Tuesday and held a review meeting with the public transport department officials of 26 districts. Speaking on the occasion, Viswarup expressed his happiness to sign his first file to hire 998 buses for improving transportation facilities.
“We are exploring all possibilities of refuelling all government vehicles from RTC fuel bunks. Diesel cess was imposed under mandatory conditions which is less compared to neighbouring Telangana. Steps are being taken to increase cargo revenue. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said that priority should be given to compassionate appointments for the children of employees who have lost their lives due to Covid,” Viswarup said.
Applications for the children of 896 employees, who died between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2019 are pending. So far, 956 applications are also under consideration after the merger of the corporation with the government. PRC for RTC employees and cadre equalisation has not yet been finalised, the minister said.
APSRTC managing director Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao said that steps are being taken to increase compensation for natural death to Rs 5 lakh under the SBI salary package for the employees. The RTC had faced a lot of difficulties during the pandemic. At that time, the Chief Minister gave salaries to the employees to avoid difficulties for them.
Currently, the passenger occupancy ratio is 73 per cent and said that focus should be laid to increase it to 78 per cent.The officials have requested the Minister to allocate Rs 200 crore for the purchase of new buses. The Minister said the matter would be brought to the notice of the CM.